Jill Terceira should be looking forward to a summer without pressure after qualifying for the Pan Am Games, instead a perceived lack of support from Bermuda Equestrian Federation has left her worrying about how to fund the trip to Mexico.Terceira and fellow showjumper Patrick Nisbett have been told they must pay their own way to the Games in October, a journey that has already been made twice as hard by a change in the qualifying mark.However, Mike Cherry, the BEF president, said that the riders had been told beforehand that they might have to contribute toward the costs of attending the competition.“The BEF is not a wealthy organisation, the Bermuda Olympic Association is not a wealthy organisation, and they are obliged to get the team there, but historically the BEF has assisted in raising funds to get the riders there,” said Cherry.“The riders were put on notice that even if they qualified, they may have to assist with funding themselves. That’s basically were we are.”While the Pan Am Games organisers simply require a rider to be competing at international level, the BEF’s standard is now higher than it was for reaching the Olympic Games four years ago.“It’s quite exhausting actually, to tell you the truth. There was no explanation given as to why they made it harder,” said Terceira. “Four years ago the BEF had a standard of 1.50 metres, two courses, with 12 faults or less, which meant you could have three poles down, which would be acceptable for qualification.“Now, four years on, they’ve made it much stronger and we have to be three times clear, twice at 1.45 metres, and once at 1.50 metres, which is a huge step, they’ve really raised the bar, which is really difficult for us.“Even though the Pan American Games standard has not changed, and in fact, their standard for equestrian is that you must be competing at international level, which we all are. So, it’s a little bit disheartening that Bermuda puts such a high qualification on for our ownselves, especially considering four years ago we were the only sport that qualified for the Olympic Games legitimately.”Cherry acknowledged that Bermuda requires more of their riders, but said the decision had been taken as a means of raising the standard of the Island’s competitors. “The qualifying standard for the Pan American Games is fairly low, it’s nowhere near as high as the Olympics as a qualifier, because it’s a regional competition and they have to get enough countries competing,” said Cherry.“The reason why the equestrian federation raised their standards above what the qualifying is for the Pan Am Games is to make sure the riders who qualify are deserving of going. And also, the Pan American Games, strangely enough, is also a qualifier for the Olympics.”In her darker moments, Terceira almost believes that the BEF and Bermuda Olympic Association don’t want to send a team, but her head tells her that everything comes down to a much simpler issue money.“I don’t know (if they don’t want to send people), it always feels as if they are putting up barriers,” she said. “I think at the end it probably comes down to the expense of it. Equestrian is of course a very expensive sport, and I know the Bermuda Olympic Association has put a lot of money into us.“But at the end of the day I think we have also been one of the most successful sports, I think in one way we do deserve the support and we do deserve the funding.“I mean, eight years ago or so, Mary-Jane Tumbridge won a gold at the Pan Am Games. We have been a very successful sport and it’s a little bit disheartening that we don’t get the support that football and cricket do, because we are as successful, if not more. On paper, I mean look at the results.“I don’t know, I don’t know if it’s because the sport has been put out as an elitist sport, I think we just have a bit of a bad name. I wish there was more support behind us and more support to have a team, and I often don’t feel as if the federation really pushes that, and doesn’t fund raise. Trying to stay positive without the support, without the funding, is really, really hard.”Cherry questioned why Terceira would feel that there was a lack of support, and pointed to her attendance at the Beijing Games in 2008 as evidence of the BOA’s backing.“In 2008 it is quite true that the equestrians were the only ones that legitimately met the required standard, the other sports participants who went were there on wildcards, or because they were core sports,” said Cherry.“I don’t understand what she means by lack of support from the BOA, she went to Hong Kong (in 2008), there we are, she is an Olympian. Which is more than a lot of people can say.”These should be exciting times for Bermuda’s equestrain community, with Terceira and Nisbett already qualified there is the very real possibility that the Island will be able to enter a team event at the Pan Am Games for the first time.Raishun Burch is bidding to join the pair at the event and will make his latest attempt to qualify at a show in La Mans, France, this weekend. And despite all the problems, Terceira can’t help but be excited by the prospect.“(I’m feeling) very good, very confident, really excited and now just trying to help our third rider so that hopefully we can have a team for the first time.“It would be the first time ever, we’ve had representation in the Olympics, but it would be the first time we’ve ever had a team for any of the disciplines. So that’s really exciting, so we’re really trying to make the push to get him qualified for Bermuda standards.”